Bk2olKY - Posted - 09/24/2018:  16:25:08

To those who play a Style 11 (or similar) Single Conversion with the larger diameter tone hoop on a regular basis, have you found a particularly good and consistent bridge option (i.e., weight, density, top width, Grover style vs. Snuffy) that works best to get the most out of a hoop banjo?



Any difference if the neck is Mahogany vs. Maple?

Thanks.

Edited by - Bk2olKY on 09/24/2018 17:08:21

jswkingsfield - Posted - 09/24/2018:  17:44:48

I'll let more knowledgeable folks chime in, but for what it's worth, I have an 11" tone hoop banjo, maple neck, and after trying a few bridges, ended up with a compensated Snuffy Smith NG, the ebony top is on the wider side. My recollection is that thinner bridges were not a good fit for this banjo.

Ralph Stanley legend - Posted - 09/25/2018:  01:28:45

There are many great bridge builders out there and I can only give you my advice based on 30 years of playing.... Tim Purcell. I use only his bridges because quite simply they out perform anything else I have tried. Great bridges are not cheap, but if you want a great starting place.... talk to Tim.

Hope this helps you out,

Dave.

Bk2olKY - Posted - 09/25/2018:  03:49:43

Thanks! I am primarily interested in the characteristics of bridges that work well on a tone hoop banjo (i.e., weight, density, top width, Grover style vs. Snuffy).

Edited by - Bk2olKY on 09/25/2018 03:51:29

xnavyguy - Posted - 09/25/2018:  05:45:33

Since you're, specifically, asking about a tone hoop which isn't as responsive as a full-blown Mastertone style flat head tone ring, I would recommend something very stiff, with limited head contact area, regardless of the materials from which it is made. Try to keep the weight between 2 & 2.2 grams.

Too heavy & too much head contact area and the bridge will, to some extent, act a little bit like a mute plus add too much sustain which will limit a note's focus & clarity. Beyond that, there is a much narrower window for getting the head tension right on this style tone (hoop) ring setup. Full-blown tone ring banjos are much more forgiving and can perform and sound pretty good even if they aren't set up properly.

Don New (Stringbean45) makes a bridge he calls Big Foot that is very responsive. I have a similar bridge on my open back tone hoop banjo. Bart Veerman's Mystery Wood bridge is stiff, very responsive and has minimum head contact area. Either of these BHO members are easy to work with and will go out of their way to help you get what you want out of your banjo.

bluenote23 - Posted - 09/25/2018:  07:59:14

I have a Kel Kroydon KK10 with a conversion maple neck. I played with a bunch of different bridges but I was just a beginner at that point and didn't know much about set up nor did I have the playing skill to make the banjo sound any good.



I use a Snuffy Smith bridge now that I picked up somewhere some time ago. I don't know the weight or anything, it just sounds good. I have a couple of other Snuffy bridges and they sound good too.

Back before I knew how tight I could tighten my head, I used a Kay Eyz that sounded pretty good but now it's too tall.

Edited by - bluenote23 on 09/25/2018 08:02:59

Tim Purcell - Posted - 09/25/2018:  08:05:22

I have a Kalamazoo tenor conversion with an old style 11 brass hoop that I made a bridge for from an old Slingerland rim. The grain runs 90 degrees from the typical grain orientation. So, in order to see the medullar rays, or specs in the quarter sawn side of the wood, you have to look at the bottom of the feet. Typically you would have the specs on the back side of the bridge, facing the tailpiece. I've made quite a few bridges this way and have considered offering them on my website. I've just been too busy with work in the past 6 months to add it as an option on the site.... maybe soon. I get more volume and responsiveness from this grain orientation, and it works well for hoop banjos as well as woodies. Of course the "old" wood helps a lot too.

I love the sound of hoop banjos. You get that clear, dry tone with a quick decay. I've never had any issues with too much sustain with a hoop banjo. If anything, they need a little more, than they offer with a typical style bridge.

I like a 2.1 or 2.2 gram bridge with an ebony top width of around 1/8". The ebony height can be between 3/32" to 1/8".

While I like old hard maple, Red maple and Roasted Red maple sounds nice on them as well. The Red Maple gives a little more sustain.

Tim

Bk2olKY - Posted - 09/25/2018:  12:22:12

Thanks all! Great comments.